Essex captures hockey title in three-overtime thriller

Essex celebrates a goal during the Division I high school boys hockey championship against South Burlington at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night. Essex won in three overtimes, 3-2.(Photo: BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press)

The longest Division I boys hockey championship game ever played had its ending.

Essex 3, South Burlington 2.

And not a spare breath in the building.

Nearly 80 minutes of hockey between the top-seeded Hornets and third-seeded Rebels came to a thrilling conclusion as Giummo's snipe from between the circles rippled the back of the net in triple overtime to give Essex its first state crown since 2008 on Monday night at Gutterson Fieldhouse.

Essex goalie Erik Short stacked up a title-game record 48 saves to keep his squad afloat and finish a 19-1-3 campaign with the program's 14th trophy.

A season of turning resilience into an art form — Monday was the Hornets' ninth overtime game — had its greatest escape of all. Start to finish, Vermont's only hockey championship to require three overtimes lasted 79 minutes, 45 seconds.

"These guys did a great job. They've got to be proud," Essex coach Bill O'Neil said. "We kept saying, 'Hang in there, hang in there — look how good it will feel when you get the goal.' There's nothing secret, no trick plays. The shot was good."

"Hats off to Essex, man, they just kept coming, kept coming, kept coming," Rebels coach Sean Jones said. "Short in net — outstanding. Our objective going in was to get as many pucks on him as we could and he stood tall. He won that for them."

The deciding sequence came with 3 minutes, 15 seconds left on the clock as McGovern, a sophomore, chased down a loose puck in the right corner, pivoted and saw the freshman Giummo streaking toward the goal. The puck, like so few before it, had history in the balance.

"I just saw him go down and he made a good play on it to get in front of the guy," Giummo said. "I just went to the net. Me and McGovern have played together for a long time, we have a feel for where each other are going to be, and he just passed it right out in front. I did my best to bury it."

The third showdown this winter between the Rebels (15-6-2) and the Hornets was tied 2-2 after regulation, just like the first night of the season. But this time the action wasn't allowed to stop after one extra session. So the teams trotted out for two more.

"You're just along for the ride at that point. I think the flow starts going and everybody knows that it's going to end at some point," Jones said. "You just hope the bounce is your way — it wasn't tonight."

Prior to the winner, all of the scoring came in a four-goal second period, with Essex grabbing the first two to seize the advantage — a rarity this year as the Hornets notched nine comeback wins — for third time in as many meetings with the Rebels.

Just 21 seconds into the frame, Mike Croce won the puck from a South Burlington player at the edge of the Hornets' defensive zone and set off racing up the right boards. He rounded a second defender and fired a centering feed from the bottom of the right circle that Brendan Gleason converted with a pretty one-timer.

McGovern doubled the margin half a period later. Collecting the puck along the right mid-boards from Ryan Young, McGovern sent a speculative shot toward the far post that caught the inside of Ben Greenstein's pad and skidded between his legs across the line.

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Essex celebrates the championship during the division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Field House on Monday night March 9, 2015 in Burlington, Vermont. (BRIAN JENKINS, for the Free Press)
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates the championship during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington fans cheer for the team during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington's Brandon Gray (14) battle for the puck with Essex's Brendan Gleason (3) during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington's Brandon Gray (14) battle for the puck with Essex's Brendan Gleason (3) during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex's Joey Robertson (16) skates down the ice with the puck during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex's Brendan Gleason (3) takes a shot during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington's Theo McDowell (8) battles for the puck with Essex's Nick McGovern (10) during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.Vermont. (BRIAN JENKINS,for the Free Press)
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates a goal during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates the championship during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates the championship during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates the championship during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates the championship during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates the championship during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex goalie Erik Short (1) makes a save during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington celebrates a goal during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington celebrates a goal during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington celebrates a goal during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington reacts after losing to Essex during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington fans cheer for the team during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington huddles together during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex's Brendan Gleason (3) and South Burlington's Peter Camardo (5) battle for the puck during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex's Jeremy LeClair (5) battles for the puck with South Burlington's Peter Camardo (5) during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington reacts after losing during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates the championship during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates the championship during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex fans hold up newspapers during the player introductions for South Burlington during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex fans hold up newspapers during the player introductions for South Burlington during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

The teams listen to the National Anthem during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington's Max MacDowell (2) skates past Essex's Alex Giummo (11) to shoot the puck during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex fans cheer for the team during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex's Brendan Gleason (3) skates down the ice with the puck during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

The Essex fans celebrates a goal during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex's Sean Vanzo (6) celebrates a goal with the fans during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex celebrates a goal during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington celebrates a goal during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington celebrates a goal during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington fans cheer for the team during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington goalie Ben Greenstein (1) makes a save during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex's Brendan Gleason (3) skates past South Burlington's Nathan Gaboriault (18) during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

Essex's Alex Giummo (11) shoots the puck past South Burlington's Ryan Leonard (24) during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington goalie Ben Greenstein (1) saves a shot by Essex's Brendan Gelason (3) is checked by South Burlington's Zack Johnson (3) during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington's Connor Bradley (10) battles for the puck with Essex's Mike Croc (2) and Brendan Gleason (3) as South Burlington goalie Ben Greenstein (1) looks on during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

South Burlington takes the ice for the third overtime period during the Division I high school boys hockey championship between the South Burlington Rebels and the Essex Hornets at Gutterson Fieldhouse on Monday night.
BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press

But a pair of Essex penalties, one minor and one major, opened the door for South Burlington.

"We stayed strong. We were saying on the bench that (Essex) isn't a team that plays well with a lead, they've been a comeback team all year," Jones said. "We were digging for something and we went with that and the guys were persistent."

Less than two minutes after Essex went ahead 2-0, a wide-open Kyle McDonald knocked a wrister from the left circle into the roof of the net. Peter Camardo provided the feed during a 5-on-3 power play.

Brandon Gay equalized with 3:32 left in the period while the Hornets were still serving a 5-minute major, stuffing the puck past Short in a crowd on the edge of the crease.

"When we got two, I thought, oh, maybe … but then the 5-minute penalty (happened) and I think we were lucky they only got two on that penalty," O'Neil said. "Then it was just a battle from there on."

Short admitted he was shaky early in the game but had to buckle down when the Rebels began charging back to erase the Hornets' two-goal lead.

"It's unbelievable coming out with that crowd. You can feel the vibrations," Short said. "It takes a little while to get used to it but the second you get your head in the game you're in there."

Essex weathered an early penalty in the third period and South Burlington escaped another immediately after as the two went scoreless.

Greenstein stopped 34 shots for the Rebels, half of them after regulation. Several times the senior netminder robbed Essex with glove saves. Once, he repelled a shot with his facemask — that capped an end-to-end sequence in which Short used the front of his own helmet to deny a potential Rebels winner.

The Hornets also benefited from a pair of fortunate bounces. In the second extra session, a Mike Blauvelt shot beat Short through the five-hole, but scooted wide off of the inside of the goalie's leg. Then, barely 90 seconds before Giummo ended contest, Theo McDowell dinged the left post from short range only to have it carom across the net to the opposite boards.

Still, Essex kept chugging along.

"We don't give up. We keep our minds in the game, keep a positive attitude," Short said. "Everyone in the locker room brings each other up. To pull it through is amazing."

After defeats in the Hornets' last three championship appearances, victory tastes just as sweet as ever.

"It's never old hat," said O'Neil, who has piloted Essex for 42 seasons. "It's never something that's happened before when you start in November and you work for four months with these kids, bring them through, bring them along, help them be better, help them become a team. …

"Some of those kids are unsung heroes, guys like Sean Vanzo and Henry Adams and Maverick King and Jared Lee. They didn't play as much as they wanted but they're cheering their buddies on and when kids were sick and hurt they stepped in and did a great job. They all become part of the whole process and the whole accomplishment."